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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

General Information
Tips On Getting In

Case Histories Of people who successfully broke into Pharma Sales:
Case History #1

Case History #2

Case History #3

Case History #4

Commonly Asked Question:
Do Reps really make lots of money? Big bonuses? 

How many products does a rep carry; how do you get paid bonus on them?

Basic Requirements for being a drug rep?
I think I want to be a pharmaceutical sales representative, but how can I know for sure?

How necessary is it to have a 4 - year degree? 

Is a scientific degree/ sales experience required

Am I too old to land a job in pharmaceutical sales?

How long should I expect my job search to last?

I'm willing to relocate for the right pharmaceutical sales job.  Will this help me ?

Will a DWI hurt my chances of being hired as a pharmaceutical rep?

I have bad credit; will this hurt my chances ?

Information  On
Landing the job

Will an MBA or other advanced degree improve my chances of being hired as a pharmaceutical sales rep?

What are the pros and cons of working with a recruiter?

How important is the resume in landing a pharmaceutical sales job?

How do I shop for a resume writer?

What are the essentials that should appear on my resume?

What about a cover letter?

What is the best way to land a job in pharmaceutical sales?

What if nobody will give me reps' business cards?

Are newspaper advertisements a good way to find a job in pharm sales?

What is a Job-Fair?  How useful are they?

What do companies look for at Job-Fairs?

What are the pros and cons of working at a small pharmaceutical company versus one of the biggies?

I am in college. What can I do to enhance my odds of being hired as a  pharmaceutical sales representative?

The Interview Process

Why do the drug companies give so many interviews; why does the process take so long ?

What should I bring to an interview? 

What is proper etiquette for a "ride-along?"

I have been on several interviews but received no offers.  What could I be doing wrong?

Daily Operations/ Miscellaneous
Do Reps really make large bonuses?  How many products does a rep carry and how do you get paid bonus on them?

If I'm hired, what kind of training can I expect?

What is a typical day for a pharmaceutical sales representative?

How many sales calls are you required to make each day?

What is a contract sales company ?

Should I accept a contract sales position if my real goal is to work directly for a drug company?

I am lucky enough to have more than one job offer.  How do I decide?

When the economy does a downturn, what is the job market like for pharmaceutical sales reps?

If I am hired, and I have poor sales, will I be fired ?

What are some of the things that you don't like about being a pharmaceutical rep?
   
What's the hardest thing about being a  rep ?


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Pharm Rep Tips
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Frequently Asked Questions regarding the profession of
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

See Also:[ Pharm Rep Tips] [Pharm Rep FAQ from Anne Clayton]


Q:  I think I want to be a pharmaceutical sales representative, but how can I know for sure?

A:  The first thing you should do is sit down and talk with as many real live reps as you can.  Ride a day in the field with a rep, too.  You'll learn firsthand that the job is not all peaches and cream. 

You should be very familiar with what you are getting yourself into.  It's like any career choice - you need to not have merely a good idea of what the job is about, you should have a working understanding of what a rep does.

The other things you should do is examine your motives.  If you're looking for big money fast, this is not the job for you.  If you want to be continuously learning and training, this might be up your alley.

***********************
recommendations: Resume Writer; The man who I think is the best resume writer in the industry - He did my resume (twice) and I recommend him highly.  Scott Burke of TCA has 25 years experience writing pharmaceutical resume's and cover letters.  Click Here for Details

recommendations: Resume Blaster:  Submit your resume to more than specialized 750 recruiters who deal only with pharmaceutical and medical device companies.  Click Here For My Review

********************                                           

It is a real heartache when someone goes through all of the trouble of landing a pharmaceutical representative job but soon quits because they had unrealistic expectations of what was in store.

I know of a nice woman who was a nurse who was hired as a pharmaceutical representative.  She left her cozy, well paying position in the ICU of a huge teaching hospital. 

To make a long story short, she quit after two weeks.  Her problem was that she felt that being a sales representative was beneath her professional standards.  She didn't like the idea that she was expected to cater breakfasts and lunches to get the doctors' attention. 

In her mind, she was on the same level as the doctors intellectually.  She was highly disappointed to learn that sometimes you are lucky to get 45 seconds in front of your customer.

Another time I knew an Ivy Leager who was also a talented tennis pro.  He graduated from Brown University with a marketing degree.  He quit after about two years or so because he was not making as much money as he had hoped. 

He was comparing himself to his former schoolmates that went into banking and trading on Wall Street.  He didn't do his homework.  If he had, he would have realized that it takes time to make the big bucks in the world of pharmaceutical sales.

Ironically, about a year after he quit, he learned that the grass was not so green on the other side and tried unsuccessfully to get his old job back.  Oh well.



Recommendation: Find out about the man who I think is the best resume writer in the industry.   He did my resume (twice) and I recommend him highly.  Scott Burke of TCA has 25 years experience writing resume's and cover letters.  Click Here for Details

Recommendation: Of all of the Pharm sales books I have seen so far, the best one is "Insight into a Career in Pharmaceutical Sales" by Anne Clayton.
>Click Here to read my review of Ms Clayton's Book
>Click Here to see Pharm Rep FAQ from Anne Clayton's Website